Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/j-hanna-sigurdard-ttir
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The Icesave referendum has been oversimplified | Jóhanna Sigurdardóttirhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/apr/13/icesave-referendum-uk-payments
Icelandic taxpayers are resentful of shouldering the blame for irresponsible bankers, but the UK will still receive its payments<p>In a referendum held last Saturday, the Icelandic people decided to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/10/iceland-icesave-debt-repayment-no-vote" title="Guardian: Icelandic voters reject Icesave debt repayment plan">reject legislation</a> providing a state guarantee for reimbursement payments by the Icelandic Deposit Guarantee Fund to the governments of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands – who had compensated the depositors of Landsbanki, an Icelandic bank with branches in the UK and the Netherlands, which became insolvent in October 2008. This state guarantee of payments and interests was provisionally agreed between the governments after protracted and difficult negotiations to settle the unfortunate dispute on the so-called Icesave accounts of Landsbanki.</p><p>This outcome means that another chapter will be added to the Icesave saga, which all three governments had aimed at bringing to an end after good-faith negotiations. The matter will now be settled through adjudication by the competent courts – an outcome that was always an option in such a difficult matter, and indeed the preferred option in the eyes of many Icelanders.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/apr/13/icesave-referendum-uk-payments">Continue reading...</a>IcelandEurozone crisisBankingEuropean banksEuropeNetherlandsUK newsWorld newsBusinessWed, 13 Apr 2011 09:10:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/apr/13/icesave-referendum-uk-paymentsPhotograph: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP/Getty ImagesIn a referendum, a majority of Icelandic voters chose not to approve a deal to compensate Britain and the Netherlands over the 2008 collapse of Icesave bank. Photograph: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP/Getty ImagesIn a referendum, a majority of Icelandic voters chose not to approve a deal to compensate Britain and the Netherlands over the 2008 collapse of Icesave bank. Photograph: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP/Getty ImagesJóhanna Sigurdardóttir2011-04-13T09:10:00Z